Review: Everless by Sara Holland

I can’t be the only one with a box subscription – in my case, FairyLoot – with the tendency to not read those books… Pretty sure I haven’t even read half the books FairyLoot brought into my life and I’m so ashamed of it. Seriously, I am…

It really is time to change that but… I might have to make an actual strategic plan for that one. Right now I’m simply proud to say that I read the December book, Everless! Let’s ignore the fact that I haven’t read a bunch of the older ones yet…

Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire – a perfect read for fans of The Red Queen.

In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything – even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.

Jules and her father are behind on their rent and low on hours. To stop him from draining himself to clear their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, the grand estate of the cruel Gerling family.

There, Jules encounters danger and temptation in the guise of the Gerling heir, Roan, who is soon to be married. But the web of secrets at Everless stretches beyond her desire, and the truths Jules must uncover will change her life for ever … and possibly the future of time itself.

To me, the most intriguing part of this book is the actual payment method, the importance time has, blood has. The way your blood is turned into time to pay for everything you need. The way you can simply gamble your life away with your blood. That was the main thing that made me want to pick up this book, long before I actually got it. Did it live up to my expectations? On that account, yes. Yes, it did!

I love the way time is implemented in the story, I love how Holland created a unique world that still felt natural to me. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, as it should be. We all have those authors with an uncanny ability to describe worlds. Even though Holland isn’t among them – yet? – she definitely has a way with words!

It’s possible to feel joy and grief at the same time. It’s possible to look forward to the horizon while mourning what you’ve lost.

Our MC, Jules, has guts. She has courage. She does what she feels needs to be done and gives it her all. She wants to protect the ones she loves, she’s ready to sacrifice herself should the need arise and I admire that. I admire her. She didn’t feel overly heroic, she’s still human and the balance between those two is admirable.

Then we have the two brothers – Gerlings – Roan and Liam. At first I was intrigued by both of them but the more I read, the more I started to dislike Roan. There’s simply something… off about him. There really is. As for Liam, well. Let’s just say I’m definitely curious to find out what he’ll end up doing, what influence he’ll have in the rest of the story!

If there’s one thing I didn’t feel quite comfortable with, it’s the way Jules acts so familiar to people with a higher ranking so fast. One moment she’s like “I’m a servant; I’ll look at the floor now.” and the other she’s pretty much mouthing off against those same people? It didn’t feel right and got on my nerves sometimes. There should’ve been more growth in her character to be able to justify a change like that.

I feel like this book really was just the intro to a series. There’s plenty of events but I don’t feel like I actually read a whole lot of important things? It’s weird to explain, to be honest. I simply feel like this could be the 0.5, I guess… Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not something I usually think about and the fact that I do now, makes me want to mention it to you guys as well!

There seriously wasn’t a lot of food or drinks mentioned, apart from tea and that’s just… Meh…

So I decided to google a bit and stumbled upon this. Drool, loves, drool! I still haven’t had a high tea, like ever. But I definitely want to and plan on it after looking at so many tea time-pictures!

29 thoughts on “Review: Everless by Sara Holland”

I agree with your Roan and Liam theory. For me, I felt like it was super weird that they remembered each other and bam, everything was fine, no hard feelings about her and her father leaving, or about her being there in general. And she easily became BFF with Ina, or however her name is spelt. I thought it weird that she thought Liam was super cruel, but he never did anything over the top cruel himself. I felt like I didn’t know ANYTHING about Rowan.

We need a whoooole lot more of insight in their characters and history of their lives, seriously! I think if we do in the sequel, a reread of Everless is pretty much “needed” since we might understand everything better that time around.. But we’ll have to see what the sequel’s like..

I am a coffee addict. The other day I was running late and didn’t have it in the morning and I was a ZOMBIE. It was bad haha I love tea too though. I went to high tea while I was in London and it’s one of my favorite experiences I’ve had to date. It’s definitely worth it. I want to read this book so badly. I am so fascinated with the concept too. Great review! 🙂

I am the most awful zombie you could ever encounter if I’m at work and don’t have my Monster on my desk. Just having it on my desk already lifts my mood? [That sounds bad, doesn’t it?]
Oooh, I’m so jealous! I really want to do a high tea one day and I can do them around here in Belgium as well but.. I think it would feel so much more.. British, really? To simply to it IN England as well instead of here, haha. No clue yet when I’ll get to visit London again but I definitely want to do a high tea then.
Thank you! I really loved the concept of this book! It’s what made me want to read it in the first place. 😛

I’m a tea person, myself! And wow, man, loved the review! I haven’t come across this book before, actually, but now I have to say it’s definitely something I’d be interested to read 👀
By the way, that tea photo is just so!! 💛💛👌 gorgeous!!
Loved the post, thanks for writing it!!

I like tea once in a while but.. not that often, really. Which is a shame since I have TONS of different teas at home, haha.
Oh, if you decide to pick it up, do let me know your thoughts on it! 😀
Haha, thank you! It looks so delicious.. Drool all over!

Lovely review, Kathy! I love the concept of this book and that’s what makes me want to read it the most, ahah. I’m sorry the character’s change was a bit… well, it came all at once and you didn’t really see growth in between, that’s always bothering when that happens Still, it sounds like a promising series, I can’t wait to read the first book someday 🙂

I was honestly the same; the concept intrigued me so much that I wanted to read it as fast as possible. [That and I really should get a move on all those FairyLoot books..]
True. I love some character growth and when that’s lacking, it’s always a bummer. Especially in fantasy since that’s where it’s most fun to see; at least for me it is. Characters can really go through big chances in that genre if it’s done right.

Haha, someday! When you aren’t buried beneath that pile of TBR’s. [As if that’ll ever happen..] Burried in books forever!

Uhm, I started my subscription in May 2017.. Which is.. 9 books so far? But there was the Furyborn ARC and then The Language of Thorns-extra.. so 11. I’ve read.. *totally have to look up unboxings right now..* 4 now? Flame in the Mist, Roar, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and Everless. 5 if you count the eARC I read of The Cruel Prince..

Tea for lover i have different kinds and i am always looking to try more. When i stayed in Glasgow i had an Illumicrate subscription and a Bookworm box by Coleen hover. They both drained my money bu i was happy. And no don’t worry you are not the only one who did not read the books i didn’t . to be honest i was mostly in it for the bookish goodies. I really don’t know about Everless right now i smell a love triangle, that sends shivers down my spine. i might check it out if the second book is better.

I looove bookish goodies, haha! Right now I always buy a box filled with bookish tea and candles = love it!
There’s definitely a bit of a triangle going on; that’s true. I’m hoping the sequel will be better!